Chapter Thirty-Five: The South Islands
While the heroes slept in the night Tercero took the first shift looking out to the distance with a spyglass his eyes widening at what was coming up in the distance.
"No mames!" Tercero swore ringing the bell, "Oye ey! Wake up!"
Hearing the spell Connor came out of the captain's quarters while others came from the hatch below seeing a storm fast approaching their ship, "all hands on deck!"
"Kyler we gotta get everything tied down!" Seth yelled running over to grab rope as the sea began to rock and shake their boat waves smashing into the side of their ship.
"On it!" Kyler yelled helping Seth to tie the ship down.
"Get the sails!" Jaya yelled running over with Mika just as rain began to pour down on them and thunder boomed above.
"Where on earth did this bloody storm come from?!" Ash yelled hitting the deck when the force of something slamming against the side of their ship sent her and others falling over.
"Did we hit a rock?!" Neo yelled seeing a massive clawed tentacle rise from the ocean.
Several more tentacles rose wrapping around the ship and from the side of their ship, a large pair of white binocular eyes rose to reveal the sharp fangs of a Kraken that roared.
"Kraken!" Seth yelled seeing the Kraken about to attack but from the side leaping out of the ocean a massive serpent-like creature tackled the Kraken away from the ship the two battling in the violent ocean.
"What the bloody hell?!" Kyler yelled running to the side of the ship with the others to see the much bigger creature with the Kraken in its jaw violently shake the beast in its mouth before smashing it against sea rocks impaling it.
"Oh, great what's that thing?!" Ash yelled seeing the creature in the darkness of the storm turn to them in a flash of thunder showing its almost dragon-like appearance with glowing eyes.
"By my ancestor's blood, it's a Sea Serpent!" Seth gasped seeing the creature slowly swim towards their ship, "it going to attack!"
With the Sea Serpent lingering over their ship, it roared loudly, this act making Roscoe stop growling but turn his head in confusion, his eyes widening when it roared again against the storm.
"Wait!" Roscoe yelled running to the side of the ship, "I understood that!"
"What?!" Connor yelled over the storm seeing the massive creature lower its head to Roscoe who was no bigger than one of its massive fangs it looked at Roscoe who barked seeing his reflection in the creature's massive eyes.
Barking again Roscoe listened when the creature roared and growled listening closely to its words, "it asking us what we are doing in the Circle of Serpents? It also asked us if we came to farm more of her kind!"
"What no! We want out of the circle! We need to get to Samarkand!" Connor spoke watching Roscoe bark and growl to the creature who replied before turning its eye toward Connor before moving up and glaring down at the heroes.
"Is the dog talking to the Sea Serpent?!" Mika yelled shielding her eyes from the rain.
Lowering its head its massive snout was directly in front of Connor who looked past the rows of horns and scales to the two massive eyes that stared at him.
Gulping nervously Connor slowly reached out placing his hand on the serpent's snout feeling her hot breath hit his body, "We don't wanna hurt you."
Backing away the Serpent turned to Roscoe who barked and growled both making conversation, "she says the storm blew us off course! If we want, she can set us back toward the right direction for Samarkand!"
"That would be great! Thank you!" Connor yelled seeing the creature sink back into the sea before feeling their ship shake and the Sea Serpent under their ship lifted it on her head before sailing them out of the storm.
"Did you see that?! I can talk to animals now!" Roscoe barked happily.
"You mean you couldn't do that before?" Kyler asked seeing Connor pet his dog.
"No, before with other animals, their growls and barks were always just that, no real meaning, or words! Strangely, I've never been able to do that before," Roscoe spoke seeing daylight ahead as they were nearly out of the storm.
"It means like Connor, you are growing stronger too, I wonder what other abilities you will gain," Jaya said shielding her eyes when they could see the sun again and their ship was gently placed back in the water.
Looking around Tercero went into the cabin to check the map before coming back out, "Hey it's not taking us to Samarkand!"
"Why did she change directions?" Connor asked hearing Neo come up from below deck whistling to get the group's attention.
"I think I know, check this out," Neo spoke leading them down below where they discovered a hole in their ship.
"Dammit! That damn Kraken must have done that!" Seth growled.
"She must have noticed that too, the only other place she could be taking us to is the South Islands," Tercero spoke feeling the ship shake when it was gently placed in the water again.
Heading on deck the heroes saw Roscoe and the Sea Serpent talking before he turned to them to translate, "She says that the hole would be too dangerous to leave unchecked, the journey back from Samarkand would be too risky and she may not be around to help us again."
"Makes sense, the South Islands can repair our ship," Tercero spoke looking to the islands in the distance.
"I suspect Gabriel knew this would happen, he wanted us to go to the South Islands for a reason?" Seth suggested.
"If that true what happening on the South Islands?" Connor spoke looking to the islands as well before turning to the Sea Serpent, "Thank you!"
Leaning down the Sea Serpent looked to Connor letting out a powerful roar that the heroes had to cover their ears for, Kyler spoke after the roar ended, "What did it say?!"
"She asking are you the one?" Roscoe asked confused and barked some more asking the creature to elaborate listening to it is roars and growls, "she says are you the one who will protect my children?"
"What does she mean?" Connor asked.
"I can elaborate," Tercero spoke approaching, "the oil their skin secretes is a special kind of resource that Reaver Industries used as a type of fuel, their species are being hunted to extinction."
"Why isn't LeDorada protecting?" Jaya asked.
"Because they're not true dragones they're a sub-species, that the loophole other kingdoms have used to prevent us from protecting the beautiful creatures," Tercero explained looking up the Sea Serpent.
"Roscoe, translate for me," Connor spoke approaching the creature that watched him intensely, "there is a war approaching, I plan to retake the throne from those who wronged us, fight with us, help sink our enemy's ship! In exchange, I promise the hunting of your kind to be stopped! You will be a protected species."
Leaning in the Sea Serpent bowed its head allowing Connor to place his hand on its snout before it pulled away and dived back into the ocean.
"So, was that a yes then?" Ash asked looking to Roscoe.
"I think so?" Roscoe replied looking to Connor.
"Yeah, they'll fight," Connor smiled looking to the islands, "okay guys let's set sail, to the South Islands!"
Pulling into the port Connor and the others were welcomed to the sight of many ships, some unloading fish and other good for the islands.
Around them were many traders and merchants who set up booths along the docks, ahead they could see a bustling city, while there were still many trees from the jungles that used to cover the island there were very few now.
"I guess that's the capital city Mirana," Seth spoke looking at the large city in the center of the Island.
"There the harbor master, I'll go see about getting the hole patched up!" Connor spoke walking away to talk to the man leaving the others who stepped off the ship.
"Wow," Jaya smiled looking around, and approached a booth where a woman was selling exotic ingredients.
"See anything interesting?" Seth asked smiling as he approached.
"I do indeed! I see heart roots! Oh, and over here is some knotglade grass! Perhaps this stop will be beneficial!" Jaya smiled picking ingredients while Seth paid.
Observing the two Ash smirked and elbowed Mika, "Is it just me, or does it seem like Seth fancies Jaya?"
"Yeah, he so into her," Mika chuckled looking around and approaching a food stall to see what was cooking.
Waiting at the ship Neo and Tercero looked over when Connor returned with Roscoe, "so good news and bad news."
"Ay dios mío, what happened?" Tercero asked crossing his arms.
"Well, they can repair our ship! They're going to get started as soon as possible," Connor smiled.
"Bad news?" Neo asked.
"The repairs may take two days," Roscoe sighed.
"They seem fine with that idea," Tercero spoke seeing their group checking at the booths.
"Hey guys let's head into the city," Connor spoke into his seal.
"What about the ship?" Ash asked, "Shouldn't someone stay with the ship?"
"No worries, it can't be stolen, magic ship," Seth reassured.
"Well ok then," Ash shrugged following the group.
Entering the main city Connor and the others smiled at the site of a festival, around them was music, dancing, and food.
"We must have come at the right time; I wonder what they are celebrating?" Connor asked looking over to a poster on the window of a bakery.
"Rainbow Festival?" Ash read looking to Seth who pulled out his phone to look up what the festival was about.
"Oh, here on the South Islands every year on this day they celebrate the Rainbow Festival, a day celebrating all walks of life, the locals wear all white and throw different color chalk at each other," Seth read.
"How fun!" Ash smiled looking over to see a group walking by all covered in rainbow chalk patterns and laughing.
"Still," Connor spoke crossing his arms, "if Gabriel knew we end up here what did he want us to see?"
"Maybe we should use our sense?" Roscoe suggested concentrating on the magic on the island.
Closing his eyes Connor too concentrated before images of nightmares flashed before his eyes leading up to a masked face of an unknown enemy.
Gasping Connor quickly looked around having sensed the enemy in the area with Roscoe growling, "So that's what Gabriel wanted us to deal with!"
Grabbing his seal Connor was about to warn the others but he was grabbed by the shoulder and with a strength similar to Kyler's, Connor was thrown into an alley and slammed into several trashcans.
"Connor!" Roscoe growled about to help but a gate was slammed on his face keeping him out of the alley, glaring at the hooded figure Roscoe watched the figure walk hearing the odd footsteps almost like one of his legs was heavier than the other.
"Ngh!" Connor growled looking up to the mystery man with the white hood over his head seeing a tailcoat breeze with each step the figure removed a massive battle-axe from his back and pointed its blade in Connor direction.
"Tell me something," the man spoke in a heavy accent while holding up Connor's seal, "what hero did you steal this from?"
"I beg your pardon!" Connor growled standing up and drew his sword, "That my family seal!"
Studying the man Connor could sense he was not one of the Ark of Sin members but whoever it was he was strong.
Connor also noticed right off that the man was missing his right leg, it had been replaced with a prosthetic runner blade leg, he could also see from his exposed shoulders and the window across his chest that he had a rich chocolate brown skin tone, a local of the South Islands maybe?
"Hmph, last I check most of the bloodlines in Albion had been wiped out," the man spoke throwing the seal to Connor who caught it while glaring.
"Want proof?" Connor glared with his blue eyes glowing in the darkness of the alley along with his will markings his magic flowing into his Hero Sword making the markings on its blade glow.
"How interesting, this should be fun," the man smirked under his hood getting into a fighting stance.
Looking around Roscoe sniffed the air and ran through a crowd moving between legs and large skirts till he bumped Kyler.
"Huh? Oh, Roscoe where is the fire?" Kyler asked before hearing an explosion from the alley and seeing a figure get thrown out.
The crowd of people quickly moved out of the way just as Connor landed on his feet and one hand, glaring up Connor quickly dodged when the stranger came flying down smashing his battle-axe into the stone ground smashing it.
Slowly standing up the man removed his hood to reveal a faded haircut, piercings on his left eyebrow, and one under his lower lip.
Electricity seemed to spark around his battle-axe as the man then with such speed charged at Connor who dodged several swings before blocking the blade with his sword.
Electricity then shocked Connor's arm but before his enemy could attack again Connor round the house kicking the man across the jaw then put his sword in his left hand shaking the numbness out of his right arm.
"Connor being attacked!" Ash yelled ready to aid Connor but their friend then held up his arm to prevent his friends from joining.
"It's okay guys! This guy is mine!" Connor growled putting his sword back in his right hand once the feeling returned.
Smirking the man spat some blood charging again people watching Connor and the man cross blades sending sparks in all directions.
"Isn't that Voltage? Who is he fighting?" a woman whispered to another this being overheard by Tercero who leaned on a wall with his arms crossed, studying the fight.
"Yeah, that's Volt! Is he fighting a criminal?" a man asked.
Colliding weapons again Connor glared at the man who smirked back, "You fight well for a novice!"
"Can a novice do this?" Connor smirked back using his free hand and held it in front of Voltage's face, "LIGHT!"
Blinding the man Voltage groaned stumbling back before he had his feet kicked from under him.
"Ngh!" Voltage grunted hitting the ground about to swing his axe again but it was smacked out of his hand and sent clanking against the ground and the tip of Connor's sword was then held to his neck.
Blinking a few times to get his sight back Voltage looked up to Connor who glared down at him, "Since we're on the topic of theft, where did you get your seal from?"
"Seal?" Mika repeated looking at Voltage's attire closely then noticed on his sash belt was a guild seal just like theirs.
"Same as you, family heirloom from my ancestor Whisper," Voltage smirked holding up his hands in defeat.
"Who the hell is this guy?" Kyler asked approaching.
"I think you mean who the hell are we?" Voltage smirked.
Looking around Connor then noticed all his friends slowly approaching with other men and women holding firearms to their heads.
"Get that gun out of my face or I'll break your arm," Tercero warned not bothering to look to his left where one of the South Island heroes had a firearm pointed at him.
"What is the meaning of this?!" a woman yelled.
Moving out of the crowd a heavily armored woman with dark chocolate skin with a scar across her left eye and her white hair tied into a long dread ponytail came to investigate what ruined the festival.
Seeing Voltage on the ground the woman let out an annoyed sigh, "Voltage why am I not surprised."
"Oh, hey mom! Enjoying the festival?" Voltage waved with a smile.
"ALL OF YOU! MY OFFICE NOW!" she ordered before facing the crowd, "Can we get this cleaned up, please! We have a festival to enjoy!"